If I Could Go Back in Time

It had been several days since Jenna had seen Austin at that party. She was waiting for him to call her, and at the same time was wishing that he wouldn’t. She wanted him to so that she could just get it all done with, and she didn’t want to, because she didn’t want to start everything with him.

She had spent a lot of time in her room. She didn’t really want to talk to Mercy about it, and she knew that she would have to eventually. She finally got herself up and walked into the living room. Her son was watching TV and eating a little bag of chips. She walked by him and ruffled his hair.

“Where is Aunt Mercy?” She asked.

“In the kitchen. Mom, when are you going to give me my surprise?”

“I’m not sure yet honey.” Jenna said. She went into the kitchen. Mercy was sitting at the table. “Hey Mercy.” She said with a smile.

“Hi Jenna. You finally came out of your room. If it wasn’t for your son, I’d have thought you left.”

“I know I’ve been kind of a hermit lately. I’ve just been thinking about so much. I didn’t want to see him again.”

“What happened between you?” Mercy asked.

“I was stupid and selfish. I didn’t want him to make it with that band; I didn’t want him to be gone all the time. When I was with him, we never had any money, ever. We always had whatever I could get from the restaurant I worked at, including food, was what we had. I couldn’t live that way, and okay, I did want him to make it. I just didn’t want to be in the way.” Jenna confessed, “So I left.”

“Then why didn’t you go back when you found out about Austin?”

“I don’t know. I thought a baby would only hold him back that much more. He had so much going for him, and I wanted him to have everything he deserved. A baby would have just gotten in the way of that. And look, he reached his potential. He got the record deal.” Jenna said.

“I see. Well I think you know what you have to do.” Mercy said. Jenna sighed.

“Yea, well he hasn’t called yet.”

“Well, keep your phone on.”

“I will.” Jenna said. She hugged Mercy tightly. “I’m going back upstairs.” She picked her cell phone up off the night stand next to her bed and looked at the screen. One Missed Call it read. “Now how creepy is that.” Jenna asked herself when she looked at the number. It wasn’t one she recognized, but she could just feel that it was him. She called it back.

“Hello. Jenna?”

“I wasn’t expecting you to ever call.”

“Jami has been on my back for the last couple of days. What is it you needed to tell me?”

“I need to show you more than tell you. Can you come to my house?”

“Where is your house Jen, I haven’t seen you in eight years.”

“Oh.” Jenna said. She gave him her address and directions on how to get there and she hung up her cell phone. She ran down the stairs and into the living room. “Austin honey, come on with mommy. You need to take a bath and get out of your pajamas. It’s time for your surprise.” She said, rushing her son up the stairs.

“But mom, I’m watching Scooby Doo.” He said.

“It’s important Austin honey. I can’t give it to you any later, it’s on its way right now.” Jenna said with excitement as she hurried her child into the bathroom to take a bath. Once he finished his bath she helped him dress quickly.

“Mom what’s so important about it?”

“You’ll see honey.” Jenna said, and when the doorbell rang she jumped with both excitement and nerves. “Okay you stay in here until I come and get you okay?” She asked in a rushed voice.

“Okay mommy. What’s going on?”

“I have a big big surprise for you. Just stay here.” Jenna said and ran down the stairs. She opened the door. “You found it.” She said to her guest.

“Yea, I wanted to know what it was that you had to tell me so bad the other night. What is it that was so important?”

“Before I tell you, promise me you won’t freak out on me okay?” Jenna asked her ex boyfriend. Austin looked at her with confusion.

“I can’t promise that, I’m kind of afraid to find out what it is Jenna.”

“Look, let me show you instead. I’ll be right back.” Jenna said and turned to go back up the stairs. She heard footsteps run back into her bedroom. She laughed at the fact that her son had been watching them from the banister. She continued on her way to the bedroom.

“Come here honey, let’s go down stairs.” She said to him and took his hand.

“Mom, who was that guy?”

“I’ll tell you in just a minute okay.” She said and pulled him down the stairs. She got back to where she had left Austin standing. Her son normally wasn’t a shy child, but he made his way into hiding behind her.

“Who is he mommy?”

Jenna took a deep shaky breath. “He’s…” She said and again took a deep breath. She swallowed hard and tried to pull him out from behind her. “Austin…” She kept trying to start, but she felt like her chest was closing, and she felt like she was going to throw up. This was the hardest part for her.

“Mommy? You have a child now Jen?” Austin asked.

“Yea…Austin, this is…this is your son.” She said, and felt her stomach turn over. “Come on out from behind me baby. This is the surprise that I promised you. This is your daddy.”

“My what?”

“He’s your son Austin. He’s seven years old.”

“How… what are you talking…why didn’t you tell me before you left?”

“I didn’t know about him. Come on Austin, come on out from behind me.” She said to her son.

“You gave him my name?! You never told me about him but you gave him my name?!”

“Don’t shout! He’s been asking about you a lot lately. I don’t want this to leave a bad impression on him.” Jenna said once she finally got her son out from behind her legs. She pushed him gently towards his father. Both father and son looked at each other with both shock and confusion.

“Hi!” little Austin exclaimed with a little bit of cheer. He didn’t want to get in trouble for yelling. “I’m Austin.”

“Your mom told me.” His father answered.

“Are you really my dad?”

“I think so.” Austin said, and before he could say anything else his son threw his arms around him in a tight hug. He didn’t know what to say or whether to hug him back or not. This was the last thing he had expected. After a few seconds, he returned the child’s hug.